Tomas Vokoun was sharp in making 33 saves, and Brandon Sutter snapped a tie early in the third period for the Penguins, who overcame a pair of one-goal deficits and a poor first period to win again.

Vokoun was the difference-maker early as he allowed only one goal in the first when the Penguins were outshot 14-3 and spent most of the frame in their end.

Despite being down 1-0, the Penguins knew they were fortunate to be that close.

"It could've been three, four," said Crosby, who had two assists. "Vokie kind of weathered that storm, and we were able to get back into it.

"That's what allowed us to come in here and regroup, knowing that it could've been a lot worse."

Brandon Sutter netted the winning goal when took a pass from Matt Cooke in front off a 2-on-1 rush and scored past goalie Evgeni Nabokov 1:46 into the third period. Joe Vitale and Chris Kunitz had second-period goals for Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh, which hasn't lost since Feb. 28 at Carolina.

Pascal Dupuis added an empty-net goal with less than a second remaining, with an assist from Vokoun, to make it 4-2.

"They are a desperate team. They came out hard at us. We kind of bent but didn't break," Vokoun said of the Islanders. "We talked after the first period that we've got to match their energy and their effort — and we did."

Mark Streit put the Islanders ahead in the first, and Josh Bailey answered Vitale's goal to make it 2-1 in the second, but New York lost its third straight in a four-game homestand.

The Islanders have led or been tied in the third period of 25 of their 31 games, but have won only 13 (13-9-3).

"The third period has been our Achilles' heel," forward John Tavares said. "We can't seem to hold onto a lead or break through in the third.

"We can't afford not getting points. We have to push ourselves better. Our confidence isn't bad, but we are making mistakes at the wrong times."

April 28: Ottawa Senators center Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored the tiebreaking goal, and added an assist in the 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins. The win solidified the Senators as a No. 7 seed heading into the playoffs.
Bob DeChiara, USA TODAY Sports

April 27: New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist had 20 saves against the New Jersey Devils in his second shutout of the season. With the Rangers 4-0 win, they avoided meeting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs.
Debby Wong, USA TODAY Sports

April 27: Pittsburgh Penguins left wing James Neal Neal completed a hat trick during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 8-3.
Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports

April 25: After only two and a half months removed from a torn Achilles tendon, Erik Karlsson returned to the ice for the Ottawa Senators, who defeated the Washington Capitals 2-1 to clinch a playoff spot.
Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

April 25: Columbus right wing Cam Atkinson scored two goals in the Blue Jackets' win over the Dallas Stars. The win was crucial, as Columbus remains in playoff contention.
Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

April 24: Mike Smith, whose Phoenix Coyotes were eliminated before the game started, made 33 saves, including this one against Joe Thornton, to beat the San Jose Sharks.
Matt Kartozian, USA TODAY Sports

April 21: There will not be a better top performance this season, as the Boston Bruins as a whole defeated the Panthers 3-0. It was the Bruins' first victory since the tragic events that plagued the city over the past week.
Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports

April 21: LA's Dustin Brown had two goals in the Kings' 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars. The win gave the Kings sole possession of fourth place in the West, and a better shot at home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

April 18: New York Islanders forward John Tavares had two goals and one assist in the 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. New York's win prevented Toronto from clinching a playoff birth.
John E. Sokolowski, USA TODAY Sports

April 19: New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur recorded his 121st shutout in the 3-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The win brought New Jersey's 10-game losing streak to a halt.
Eric Hartline, USA TODAY Sports

April 16: Winnipeg's Andrew Ladd celebrates after scoring against Tampa Bay. Ladd scored twice, notched an assist and netted the decisive goal in a shootout in a 4-3 win over the Lightning.
Trevor Hagan, AP

April 12: Blackhawks left wing Brandon Saad had the game-winning goal in a shootout against the Detroit Red Wings. Chicago's win clinched the Central division for the first time since 2010, when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.
Rob Grabowski, USA TODAY Sports

April 10: Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo wasn't supposed to start, but Cory Schneider came down with the flu. Luongo, making his first start since March 18, had 40 saves in a 4-1 win against the Calgary Flames.
Sergei Belski, USA TODAY Sports

April 10: Boston Bruins center Gregory Campbell, middle, moved up to the top line because of injuries, scored twice, one a short-handed goal, in a 5-4 win against the New Jersey Devils.
Julio Cortez, AP

April 10: Colorado goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere's contribution to the Avalanche's 4-1 shocker against the Anaheim Ducks came days earlier when he ripped his teammates' work ethic. That sparked the last-place team and Giguere made 21 saves in the victory.
Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

April 9: Pittsburgh right wing Pascal Dupuis scored a goal and notched two assists in a 5-3 win over the Hurricanes. Dupuis and the Penguins clinched the Atlantic Division title.
James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports

April 9: Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky makes a kick save against the Sharks. Bobrovsky stopped 30 shots and earned his fourth shutout of the season in a 4-0 win over San Jose.
Russell LaBounty, USA TODAY Sports

April 8: Anaheim Ducks right wing Radek Dvorak scored both goals in a 2-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers. He has three goals in five games since signing out of Europe.
Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

April 7: Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (88) scored an empty net goal against the Nashville Predators in a 5-3 win. Kane and the rest of the Blackhawks are the first team in the NHL to clinch a playoff spot this season.
Rob Grabowski, USA TODAY Sports

April 5: Jussi Jokinen of the Pittsburgh Penguins joined his new team via trade earlier this week. Jokinen scored one goal in regulation, then tallied the only score in a shootout in the 2-1 win over the Rangers.
Justin K. Aller, Getty Images

April 4: Newly-acquired veteran Jaromir Jagr scored the lone goal for the Boston Bruins in a 1-0 win over New Jersey. The 41-year-old forward was traded from Dallas earlier in the week.
Michael Ivins, USA TODAY Sports

April 4: Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop recorded a career-high 45 saves in his first appearance with the Lightning. Thanks to the shutout, Tampa was able to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-0.
James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports

April 4: Columbus forward Marian Gaborik had the go-ahead goal and added an assist in his first game with the Blue Jackets. After being acquired from the New York Rangers earlier in the week, Gaborik led Columbus to a 3-1 win over Nashville.
Mark Humphrey AP

April 3: In his first game in a Rangers jersey, Ryan Clowe received the first star of the game award. Clowe scored his first two goals of the season in a 6-1 win over Pittsburgh.
Debby Wong, USA TODAY Sports

March 30: Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tomas Vokoun salutes the crowd after shutting out the New York Islanders, 2-0. Vokoun made 35 saves and earned his second straight shutout.
Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports

March 30: Edmonton Oilers left wing Taylor Hall, right, celebrates his goal with teammate Corey Potter, left. Hall had a hat trick by 7:53 of the first period, breaking Wayne Gretzky's record for fastest hat trick from the start of a game.
Jason Franson, AP

March 29; Dallas Stars right wing Jaromir Jagr had one assist and a secondary one at that. But it made him the first European with 1,000 assists and helped end the Minnesota Wild's seven-game winning streak.
Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

March 28: New York right wing Colin McDonald, middle, scored twice for the Islanders, who would go on to defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in a shootout. New York improved to 10-4-1 on the road with the win.
Eric Hartline, USA TODAY Sports

March 28: Phoenix's Rostislav Klesla aided the Coyotes' 7-4 blowout against the Nashville Predators by tallying four assists. The Coyotes used a huge first period to trounce the Preds, ending their seven-game losing streak.
Mark Humphrey, AP

March 26: Carolina defenseman Jamie McBain helped Evander Kane notch a goal when he scored on his own net. Kane also added three assists in Winnipeg's 4-1 win over the Hurricanes.
James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports

March 26: Toronto alternate captain Joffrey Lupul was clutch when it mattered most. Lupul scored two goals in the third period to lead the Maple Leafs past the Florida Panthers, 3-2.
Nathan Denette, AP

March 26: Rangers left wing Carl Hagelin (62) put his arm around his teammate, Derek Stepan, after Stepan scored in the second period. Stepan netted three assists and a goal in New York's 5-2 win over Philadelphia.
Bruce Bennett, Getty Images

March 25: Anze Kopitar ended the Los Angeles Kings' long scoring drought with a slick move and set up Dustin Brown's game-winner in a 5-4 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Rob Grabowski, USA TODAY Sports

March 24: Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) celebrates with right wing Troy Brouwer (20) and left wing Alex Ovechkin (8). Backstrom and Ovechkin both scored in regulation and in a shootout in a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers. It was Washington's third straight win.
Debby Wong, USA TODAY Sports

March 21: Slumping Nashville Predators left wing Martin Erat had a goal and two assists in a 5-3 win against the Calgary Flames. The goal was his first since Feb. 5 and helped end the Predators' four-game losing streak.
Mark Humphrey, AP

March 20: So flu-ridden that he couldn't meet the news media after the game, Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf set up third-period goals 64 seconds apart by Bobby Ryan and Teemu Selanne. That gave the No. 2 Ducks a 3-2 win against the No. 1 Chicago Blackhawks.
Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

March 20: Minnesota winger Devin Setoguchi scored twice as the Wild got a rare win in Detroit. After recording no goals and two assists in his first 10 games, he has 11 goals and seven assists in his last 19.
Tim Fuller, USA TODAY Sports

March 19: Ottawa Senators defenseman Sergei Gonchar (55) scored the winning goal with a minute left and added two assists in a 5-3 win against the New York Islanders. He has assists in eight consecutive games, tying a team record.
Bruce Bennett, Getty Images

March 19: New York Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto batted the puck out of the air for a short-handed goal and set up Rick Nash's game-winner in a 3-2 win against the New Jersey Devils.
Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports

March 19: Phoenix Coyotes captain Shane Doan did this in a losing effort, but he had two goals, 11 shots and 13 hits against the Los Angeles Kings. The Coyotes had been shut out in three consecutive games before he struck.
Stephen Dunn, Getty Images

March 18: Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Colorado Avalanche, the team that ended their 24-game point streak. Kane has three three-point games in his last four games.
Doug Pensinger, Getty Images

March 17: It was a day for breaking long scoring droughts. Washington's Jason Chimera had his first since April 2 and in Pittsburgh, Joe Vitale scored his first since Feb. 26, 2012.
Greg Fiume, Getty Images

March 16: Minnesota Wild right wing Devin Setoguchi had two goals, one assist and a plus 4 rating in a 6-4 win against the Colorado Avalanche. That allowed the Wild to move into a share of the Northwest Division lead.
Isaiah J. Downing, USA TODAY Sports

March 16: Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves in a 3-0 win against the New York Rangers. It was the 23rd of his career, breaking the Pittsburgh Penguins record that he had shared with Tom Barrasso.
Justin K. Aller Getty Images

March 15: The Calgary Flames' Curtis Glencross, celebrating with Lee Stempniak, had a hat trick in a 6-3 win against the Nashville Predators. He has five points in his last two games.
Jeff McIntosh, AP

March 15: Philadelphia goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, who said the Flyers' season would be done if they were swept by New Jersey, made 27 saves to beat the Devils 2-1 in a shootout. Included was this snow angel move.
Matt Slocum, AP

March 14: St. Louis Blues forward Alex Steen returned from a shoulder injury and had a goal and two assists in a 3-0 win against the Phoenix Coyotes. Chris Stewart, left, had two goals and an assist.
Dilip Vishwanat, Getty Images

March 14: Winnipeg Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec stopped 29 of 30 shots to beat the New York Rangers 3-1 and move past them into sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Bruce Fedyck, USA TODAY Sports

March 14: San Jose Sharks' Brent Burns (88) had a goal and assist in his second game as a converted forward. After going scoreless as a defenseman this season, he has three points in two games in his new position.
Ed Szczepanski, USA TODAY Sports

March 13: Lars Eller's shootout goal was the game-winner for the Canadiens and the Montreal center also scored the first goal of the game against Ottawa. Montreal won 4-3.
Jean-Yves Ahern, USA TODAY Sports

March 13: New Jersey Devils center Adam Henrique celebrates with teammates after scoring one of his two goals against the Flyers. Henrique had three points in New Jersey's 5-2 win.
Ed Mulholland, USA TODAY Sports

March 12: Edmonton Oilers goalie Devan Dubnyk, who left his previous game after being run over in the crease, made a quick recovery from a sore neck and had a 36-save shutout of the Colorado Avalanche.
Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

March 12: One game after Pekka Rinne was critical of his performance in shootouts, the Nashville Predators goalie made sure that the game didn't go that far with a 32-save shutout of the Dallas Stars.
Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

March 10: Colorado center Matt Duchene scored once in regulation, then again in OT to secure a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks. With the win, the Avalanche moved to 10-10-4 on the season.
Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

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The Islanders, who fell to an NHL-worst 5-11-2 at home, are 11th in the Eastern Conference — three points and three places behind the postseason cutoff.

"It's crunch time every game," save Nabokov, who made 21 saves. "We're still not far from the pack."

New York has been outscored 9-0 in the third period during this homestand, including allowing three final-period goals in a 5-2 loss to Montreal on Thursday.

"I knew we had to make a big push at the start of the third period," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma. "I certainly was aware of their third-period situation.

"I don't know if they were ready for us or they were desperate because of their situation, but they played really well and really hard and took it to us. I am really proud of the way we battled and won this game."

New York had its first of two late power plays when Pascal Dupuis went off for slashing with under 8 minutes left, but failed to capitalize.

The Islanders nearly tied it less than a minute after falling behind, but defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky's long drive caromed off Vokoun's glove and then struck the crossbar.

Vokoun has earned five wins in the streak while splitting time in goal with Marc-Andre Fleury.

New York dominated the first period, holding the high-flying Penguins without a shot until nearly 13 minutes had elapsed, but it only had a 1-0 lead to show for it.

Vokoun was challenged early and often. He stopped a shot by Michael Grabner in front less than 2 minutes in, and was tested a few minutes later by defenseman Andrew MacDonald.

The rebound was shoved behind Vokoun, but it slid through the crease.

New York finally got a puck past Vokoun at 7:46 of the first after Frans Nielsen had a clean faceoff win in the left circle. Nielsen pushed the puck back to Matt Carkner at the left point, and Carkner moved it quickly to Streit, who ripped a one-timer from the middle of the blue line.

Streit celebrated his fifth goal with an understated fist pump as the Islanders had a 10-0 lead in shots.

The margin was 12-0 when Tavares was stopped by Vokoun on a wraparound try, before the Penguins got their first shot of the game with 7:08 remaining by James Neal.

Pittsburgh came out quickly to start the second and put more pressure on Nabokov. They didn't cash in on a power play that carried over from the first period, but tied the game 1-1 when Vitale took a pass from Craig Adams, skated to the center of the left circle and snapped a shot into the upper right corner at 8:11.

Another Islanders flurry led to Bailey's fourth of the season, scored with 2:42 left in the period. But New York couldn't carry the lead into the third because Kunitz scored his 19th goal to tie it with 13.8 seconds left.

NOTES: Penguins C Tyler Kennedy missed the game because of an illness and was replaced in the lineup by forward Trevor Smith, who was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. Pittsburgh was also missing D Kris Letang, who sat out his second straight game. ... Carkner's assist was his first point in 11 games this season.